Yes and no. While I agree this particular issue is much ado about nothing, she is putting herself out there to humanize Mitt. When she's out stumping for her husband on the campaign trail, she is inevitably going to draw criticism just as Michelle Obama does. It may not be fair or justified but what she does reflects on her husband.

This kind of stuff is so damn silly. Times and time again someone takes a shot at an opponent or, in this case, his spouse, and then, oh my god, that person and the people in their political sphere takes offense. Who wouda thunk it? Then the people in the camp of the offender throw him or her under the bus and the offender has to do a mea culpa. Jeezus.

If you can't be trusted not to say something you will regret, then take the advice of Calvin Coolidge. "If you don't say anything, you won't be called upon to repeat it." Or retract it.

If you are going to take a shot, then stick by it. If you haven't pissed off your opponent and his people at least once a day, then you aren't doing your job. Stir the damn pot and then whack them with the spoon. And don't apologize. Don't equivocate. The only thing worse than being seen as being an a-hole is being seen as being an a-hole who folds like a house of cards when the slightest breeze of dissent comes your way.

And the people on your side should just turn, shake their heads and walk away whistling - "Nope. Nothing happening here." All the while chuckling to themselves. And they should never ask you to apologize unless they are your boss.

Politics is a bloodsport. If you are too thin-skinned or a political hemophiliac, then you should find something less strenuous to participate in.

And being the spouse of a candidate is like being in the front row of a Gallagher concert. When the Sledge-o-Matic comes out, you are gonna get stuff all over you. So wear your plastic sheet and don't whine if your hair gets messed up.

"I am very good at reading women, but I get into trouble for using the Braille method."

Already, the two major Democrats in the forthcoming (and likely to be unsuccessful) attempt to fire our governor have set out to totally destroy each other in the partisan primary - the 'do nothing' (and two-time loser in governor elections) Mayor of Milwaukee and the waaaaay out in left field la-la-land former Dane County (Madison, et al) Executive. The Mayor is despised by most union types because he used the recent collective bargaining reforms to save his city's taxpayers some significant money this year - and even proposed government worker union reforms similar to what passed in the state well before they were introduced into the legislature - while the former county executive is well to the left of most of the rest of the state and has already promised AFSCME, WEAC and other unions that she'll essentially hold the state hostage unless and until the reforms are undone, refusing to exercise any of the responsibilities of the office. Of the two, statewide polling shows the Mayor as the least likely to lose, but still behind.

An interesting thing here, marketing studies (for lack of a better term) done by the Democrats have shown to them that their disgust over the government worker union reforms is an issue that is not resonating with the state's voters as services are being maintained and even expanded with either no tax rate increases or tax rate cuts in jurisdictions that adopted the reforms. Thus, we'll be seeing very little chatter from them on union issues and pretty much a normal 'other issues' campaign with stuff like what we are seeing at the national level (the supposed 'war on women', ginned-up improprieties and so forth).

Also, when pressed by a reporter from a Milwaukee radio station a couple of days ago on what they would have done to close the state's $3.6 billion budget gap last year (the state's finances are now in balance), they both essentially told the reporter to "F*** OFF! ".

Honestly neither one of those bothers me that much. The GSA conference may have been excessive but conferences are still necessary and cost a lot of money to hold. The conference just cost twice as much as it should have. That's definitely a problem but nothing earth shattering when you see the amount of waste coming from others areas of the government such as the military.

Then the Secret Service, the only news here is that they actually got caught with prostitutes, not that they were utilizing their services. I'm sure many politicians, military, and other US personnel abroad use prostitutes on a regular basis but they don't start an incident by having the police get involved while the President is in town.

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C'mon and get me you twist of fate
I'm standing right here Mr. Destiny
If you want to talk well then I'll relate
If you don't so what cause you don't scare me

That he's an entertainer playing to the crowd. He's no different than Rush, except Ted actually has talent.

The whole investigation thing is stupid and only serves to rile people up.

Two points. 1) The Secret Service always investigates threats to the President, and what Ted said was stupid and not a serious threat I'm sure, but it was a threat nonetheless.
and 2) Ted is not talented. He was sort of talented, but he never was that great a guitarist and a horrible singer. He has remained famous because of his antics, not his talent. Cat Scratch Fever is one of the worst and most annoying songs to ever be a hit.

Two points. 1) The Secret Service always investigates threats to the President, and what Ted said was stupid and not a serious threat I'm sure, but it was a threat nonetheless.
and 2) Ted is not talented. He was sort of talented, but he never was that great a guitarist and a horrible singer. He has remained famous because of his antics, not his talent. Cat Scratch Fever is one of the worst and most annoying songs to ever be a hit.

While I agree that Cat Scratch Fever is an awfully annoying song and that The Nuge cannot sing, I think he's a pretty good guitarist (albeit not a very imaginative one). Stranglehold is a great example of what he can do on guitar and is one of my favorite rock songs of that era.

While I agree that Cat Scratch Fever is an awfully annoying song and that The Nuge cannot sing, I think he's a pretty good guitarist (albeit not a very imaginative one). Stranglehold is a great example of what he can do on guitar and is one of my favorite rock songs of that era.

Off-topic:

I'm not a fan. I like the bassline for Stranglehold quite a bit, and I concede the guy is an acceptable lead guitarist, but I still think he gets way too much credit for being some sort of great guitarist and I just don't see it. Limbaugh on the other hand is quite talented in radio. All IMO of course.

despite having no ties whatsoever to the Hoosier state — "I've never been further west than Buffalo, N.Y. ... — his name will appear on Democratic primary ballots on May 8.

So how could Southwestern Indiana voters trust a man who has never visited the area to represent their interests?

"I don't think that the question of trust is because I don't live there at the moment is necessarily relevant.

"It's one of the elements of the genius of the founding fathers that they required that senators and representatives be merely residents of the state from which they were elected on the date of their election," he said. "It allows us to hire our help where we can, and it's conceivable that the folks who live in the area may not always be what we want."

He has no plans for a trip to Indiana any time soon, but Bryk said if he somehow manages to win the May 8 primary, he will "absolutely" relocate to Indiana.

Politics has been much less interesting now that the primaries are over. Republicans just keep putting their foot in their mouths on any number of issues. They really need to step up their game if they want to beat the Democrats. As time goes on, it's looking increasingly likely the Democrats will hold on to the Presidency and the Senate while possibly taking back much of the House.

I wouldn't think so since it shows the United States as showing initiative and reaching out. Anyways, plenty of world leaders do come to the US to negotiate various issues but it doesn't really make the news since it is so routine. It's only the big meetings with multiple world leaders that really make the news here.

In Indiana, six-term incumbant Republican USSenator Richard Lugar lost his bid for a seventh term to a Tea-Party backed opponent (Richard Mourdock) in his party's primary.

In Wisconsin, there were no surprises in the partisan primaries in the latest round of recall elections, other than IMHO, there was much higher interest on the Republican side than I expected - Incumbent Governor Scott Walker received nearly as many votes against a token 'fake' Republican (a professional leftist protestor from Madison whom he beat by about a 97-3% margin) as the entire slate received on the Democrats' side of the ballot (614K to about 650K with 99% of precincts reporting).

In North Carolina, voters approved a binding state constitution amendment referendum to define a legal marriage in the state as a union between one male and one female.